What’s it like to have Borderline Personality Disorder? To navigate life with a mental illness that many therapists can’t/don’t want to treat? Today, Rebecca shares her story.

Tell us a bit about yourself!

I’m originally from New York City. I’m a 26 year old blogger. For fun, I like to fish, play video games, and read medical thrillers.

For those of us who don’t know, what is Borderline Personality Disorder?

On paper, Borderline Personality Disorder is a serious mental illness where you experience erratic mood and personality changes, coupled with an intense fear of abandonment.

Borderline mood swings move so quickly that you can be ambitious at 7am, grumpy at 9am, and have little motivation to live by 11am. Your personalities and even hobbies will shapeshift to match your new mood swings. This is why people that suffer from BPD have a hard time holding down traditional jobs or establishing a sense of identity.

Borderlines are also known for clingy behavior because a major symptom of BPD is a pervasive fear that the people you love the most will turn around and hurt you or be taken away from you (like in a freak accident.) This feeling comes even if they’re just walking to the garage to fetch something from their car.

Since Borderlines don’t have an sense of identity, who you are is heavily wrapped in who you love. It’s like if your arm randomly up and left. The shock is startling and can shut your whole body down.

It’s not something you ever get used to, either. Each time you feel that fear, it’s like the first time experiencing the shock, all over again.

So, short version, BPD is a complicated mental disorder that invades your moods, your identity, and your ability to have relationships with other people.

What are the most common misconceptions about BPD?

That we’re evil, serial killer, arsonist, manipulative, narcissistic, lying monsters, essentially. These are some of the most common words used to describe Borderlines.

There are more resources available to people who have encountered Borderlines than resources for actual Borderlines. I understand why, but it’s discouraging and heartbreaking to try to get help when there is an expectation that you’re this terrible person.

I never want to excuse the actions of people with Borderline Personality Disorder, my own included, but I want to offer a perspective.

The reality is that even psych professionals are not equipped to offer aid to people with BPD. Borderlines are deemed resistant to therapy and difficult to treat, especially with our impulsivity, paranoia, and persistent personality and mood changes. You have to find someone both willing and experienced in treating personality disorder, which is rare.

When help is hard to come by, Borderlines can regress deeper into their symptoms and become those things people say about us.

And this assuming the Borderline even has medical insurance to cover getting help.

What lead to your diagnosis?

I grew up in a violent household which lead to a suicide attempt when I was 13 years old.

I woke up in the psychiatric ward.

Personality disorders are rarely diagnosed to anyone under the age of 18, but after a series of tests and doctor’s visits inside inpatient care, they diagnosed me with Borderline Personality Disorder.

How did you feel when you got the diagnosis?

It honestly felt like a death sentence. There is a small psychiatric center near where I lived and I saw literally every single therapist in there. None of them wanted to work with me. Since child services was involved, my parents had to take me to different therapies and none of the clinics kept me longer than a few weeks.

What sort of treatment have you pursued?

I’ve been in talk therapy on and off for the past 13 years. Most of talk therapy didn’t work for me because BPD isn’t something you can just “talk out” and try to reframe, which a lot of therapists tried to do with me.

However, finding a therapist that specialized in personality disorder has been my saving grace. I’m lucky to have found one locally, even though it took me a year and a half after moving here, to find her.

I hear that there is a therapy called Dialectical Behavioral Therapy that has worked wonders for Borderlines.

I used to take medication, but some of my symptoms would be exacerbated. Like, if they treated my impulsivity and anger, it may increase my suicidal thoughts. If they treated my suicidal thoughts, I may experience intensified mood swings. Medication is really something you have to be patient with.

These days, do you feel your BPD is pretty effectively ‘managed’?

I think I manage it pretty well. I do have meltdowns and panic attacks every few months, when I neglect my personal self care and I get overwhelmed.

I’m still in therapy but the major factor in my sustained recovery is how mindful I have to be of my thoughts, emotions, and triggers. It’s exhausting to be in constant control, so I try to be kind with myself and not push too hard.

Do the people in your life know about your diagnosis?

I used to say I had depression and anxiety to make it easier, but in the last year, I started coming out with my real diagnosis. The people that didn’t really know me were shocked because they thought I was so emotionally grounded and I seem so stable from far away.

People that were close to me were generally accepting and not surprised. It was like giving them an answer to a question they were too respectful to ask.

There have been a small amount of people who were rude or took malicious joy in hearing about my diagnosis, but they eventually weeded themselves out of my life.

Honestly, saying the diagnosis out loud felt more like I was learning to accept myself for who I am, rather than seeking acceptance from others. I feel like I can finally breathe.

What resources have helped you navigate this?

Minimalism, hygge, and meditation has done a lot for me. Minimalism helps me curb impulsive decision making because it lets me put structure and limitations on my life, without reducing my quality of living.

Hygge helps me stay present in the moment and cultivate a safe, comfortable space inside of my home. Meditation is a great mental exercise because it helps me be more aware of my triggers.

What advice would you give to people who love someone with BPD?

If you love someone with BPD, please take care of yourself. Have your own self care systems in place and don’t try to take on our problems as your own. You can’t fix or save us, but you can support us.

Create a crisis plan together so your loved one is having an episode, you know exactly what steps to take to get help.

We’re not lost causes. There are a LOT of people and resources who will tell you to run away, we’re not worth it, we’ll just burn your life down. Loving us is difficult (trust me, it was very hard for even me to love myself) but there are success stories. Look towards people who are optimistic and positive in being part of our healing journey. These will be the people that give you the help you need.

Thank you so much for sharing your story, Rebecca. Do you guys have any (polite! respectful!) questions for her?

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15 Comments

Thank you so much for sharing your story. My sister was recently diagnosed with BPD. I hate how difficult it is for those living with mental illness to find the healthcare they need, and as you stated, this diagnosis seems especially tricky to find treatment. It’s really hopeful to hear from someone who has found ways to manage their diagnosis. I am going to direct my sister to this article. I appreciate you sharing your real diagnosis and what is working for you. It’s discussions like these that help others struggling to find answers. Best to you!

I truly appreciated this interview, I’m not sure what I am struggling with, but regardless to know there’s others making positive change and strides toward a more mindful way of life encourages me as well to find peace and solutions to curb my moody reactions…thank you greatly for this!!

Thank you for sharing your story so openly. My brother has BPD, and he explains it as a severe type of bipolar disorder to acquantinces, so that’s the term I tend to use when talking about him to non-professionals (my boss, my friends). We know it’s not really, but it’s something that people understand and aren’t usually threatened by. I tend to leave his diagnosis out when talking about my brother, but there have been a few times when I’ve needed to because of suicide attempts or other crises. He’s been really lucky to find a specialist in BPD to treat him, but I’ve had therapists hesitate to accept me as a patient for my depression/anxiety when they see his diagnosis on my family history.

Thank you for sharing your story! I grew up with a parent who had BPD and my first 21 years were dominated by the disorder. At best my childhood was chaotic and confusing, at worst it was traumatic and destructive. In my perspective it’s one of the most tragic mental illnesses as it’s so hard to recognise and treat. Living with and loving someone who has BPD can be devastating and hurtful as often you carry the burden of the illness, suffering from it can be isolating and alienating as people cannot help you feel loved and eventually stop trying. Unlike the interviewee I’ve found it nearly impossible to find resources for relatives of those with BPD!

A few years ago, I was stalked & harassed by a guy I went on a few dates with (a barista at my local Starbucks) who had Borderline Personality Disorder. It was difficult to deal with for a number of reasons, but one of them was that, as an advocate myself for removing the stigma of mental illness, I felt incredibly guilty about my lack of support for & care about this guy. I wanted to understand, to assume the best of him, & to work through it with him (even though I didn’t want to date him). I didn’t want to confirm his fears about being abandoned. At the same time, he acted out in incredibly scary & inappropriate ways, & he made me feel incredible afraid & unsafe.

I have since tried to read up on BPD, & I understand that much of how he acted stemmed from his disorder – but at the same time, as you say, not everyone with BPD acts like this or treats others like this, & he refused to take care of himself or manage his disorder. He wouldn’t speak with professionals anymore OR go on medication; he repeatedly told me he was smarter than therapists & law enforcement.

I think the key here is working to manage your mental illness & taking ownership of that. Certainly I don’t expect everyone with a mental illness (myself included!) to be OK all of the time, or to always act in the “right” ways. But when a person is taking charge of their life & trying to take steps to better their mental health, it becomes, in my opinion, much easier to accept the occasional breakdowns & issues.

It sounds like you’re doing an incredible job of that, & I commend you for it. I’m only sorry that people like the stalker barista give people like you a bad name along with them. Thank you for showing us that BPD is so much more than we know it to be from the outside, & for showing us what it’s like behind the scenes. I wish you the best in your continued mental health journey.

Thank you for sharing your story, Rebecca. I have a cousin who has BPD and has refused to acknowledge that she has a mental illness, even almost 20 years after her diagnosis. I wish for her sake (and her family’s) that she would, because I think it would help her to accept herself and live a happier, more stable life. My best goes out to you that you continue to be successful in your self-care. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

Thank you for sharing. My tween daughter has bpd. The last 2 years have been very difficult. Lots of self harm, destructive choices, hatred of herself and us. 3 php stays and 2 inpt stays. Tried to jump. Out of a moving car. I struggle every day to know how to help her and support her. How to make her feel loved. We are working at getting dbt started. You have helped give me hope. If we can just continue to work and keep her safe she can have real life with some joy.

Thank you for sharing. Although my wife has not yet been diagnosed, I am quite positive she displays most of the symptoms. I love her and want to be with her but the chaotic few years we have have been through since marriage in 2014 have been upsetting and has resulted in my arrest following a blazing row and a stupid wrestle, and I’ve never been in trouble with the law before in my life. I would love to be with my wife and love her from the bottom of my heart, but I can only think she hates me for the way she treats me. I wish she would come to the doctors for a diagnosis so I could stand by her, as I feel in complete dispair and all her family and Friends are probably thinking I’m the problem, if only they could see the truth. I still love my wife and will fight for her, until she looks me in the eye and tells me that she no longer loves me. I hope that day never comes.

Hi Chris… I can relate. My boyfriend has not been diagnosed with BPD either but he too displays the same symptoms. Us too have gone through some crazy chaotic times. From the cops being called to me stopping his own suicide attempt. I too sometimes wonder if he hates me…. I try my best to remind myself he needs help and its not his fault but it is so hard…. my own mental health is taking a toll. The guilt of wanting to leave eats me up. I am afraid he would do something horrible if I left. I know you made a promise to her through sickness and health and I am not married to him…. but when do we say enough is enough and it’s time to take care of ourselves?

My college roommate this past year has BPD. When I met her, I thought that a lot of her stories were a little out there, but I didn’t question it at the time. She told me that she struggles with anxiety, depression, and a brain tumor… the first night we met. She also told me about her negative experiences with her dad growing up and how he abandoned her family. I felt so bad for her knowing all of this, and I tried to do everything I could to help her. But it got so demanding and exhausting. She would constantly be having a meltdown about something to get attention. When I would leave for the weekend, she would get super anxious and make me feel guilty for leaving her alone in the room. Some days, she would tell me I was the best person ever, and other days, she would be cold and ignore me. There was one point where she literally ignored me for 3 DAYS. WE LIVED IN A SMALL ROOM TOGETHER AND SHE DIDN’T SAY A WORD TO ME. It was so awkward. She eventually told me it was because I had to miss out on something she planned. She would talk about crazy ideas and stories that she had. She told me that she had cried everyday for 8 years straight (which honestly I believe considering the amount of meltdowns she had), had gotten engaged to someone over spring break then called it off two weeks later (which I did some research and he does not follow her on Instagram nor do they have any pictures together even though she told me they were dating and that he would fly out to see her across the country but he never visited campus. I also saw that he was dating a girl who goes to our school so I knew it was so false. But everyone believed her story) and had a brain tumor that she never took meds for, because as she says she “didn’t want it to control her life”. Even when I would find something/someone that might able to help her significantly, she would turn it down like it was nothing. She would fake symptoms randomly, but not be able to keep the act going for a long time. A lot of these things I just found out were false this summer, so I never got to confront her while we were living together. She went a whole week where she would drink alcohol throughout the day and constantly be drunk. I tried to help her, but she refused all help until she got everyone we knew involved so they could pity her and give her attention that she constantly craved. When we were with people, she would have to constantly be the center of attention. She would talk bad about me to everyone-people we were living around, friends with, ect. Everyone LOVED her, and I was the only one who knew what was really going on behind closed doors. It was very difficult for me to make friends because she would overshadow me constantly and make me sound like a horrible person to anyone who knew me. She didn’t even care about what was going on in my life, because she never listened. She constantly talked about herself, there was no room for me. This was very hard considering I was a freshman in college and already very homesick. So many things that I thought were real, turned out to be lies that I have just found out about. It’s crazy. She would even say mean things to my face very casually and try to tear me down. She was so insecure but would never admit it. I knew something was off when she told me, “I never really had to deal with insecurities and the way that I looked or who I am. I’ve always had way bigger problems to deal with so insecurity was never a thing for me.” Everytime I would come home or leave the dorm for a trip, I would feel like the biggest weight off my shoulders. It was such a toxic environment, but I didn’t realize it at the time, and it emotionally damaged me. If you are in a situation like this, please do research and look for the signs. if I was still living with her and I had found out about what BPD is about, it would have helped me and her so much.

Ive had several diagnoses and the pyscharist mentioned that i have bpd traits. I do see the symptoms for sure. Its very severe right now and it has affected my health. I wouldnt say i want attention.. I do openly tell some of my friends whats going on..the past year its been hard because looking back and seeing the pattern it definitely opened my eyes. I dont think i had severe bpd my whole life but after experimenting with drugs and going through drinking ohases.. Its definitrly worsened my conditon. I dont drink that much anymore. My memory is VERY poor at the moment.. I experience extreme paranoia which is new to me. I was very impulsive in the past and would get bored with most jobs until i found something i loved but my business fell through… I got out a long funk after that and dived into dancing which complicated things. Anyways for a year i experience extreme irritability, constant negative flash backs, suicidal thoughts, emotionally blunted, flat lined, barely able to do things due to the paranoia but push myself, extreme crying spells, bad anxiety, fixated on my relationship.. Thinking my partner is cheating or lieing to me because ive been so unstable thst why would he love after a year of confusion.. Ive reached out for help and was precribed many different antidepressants.. Antipyschotics.. I recently started a stimulant again which is some what helping but im searching for a better inpatient treatment..